(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing diamond films, in which the diamond characteristics of a formed film are improved and the film-forming speed is increased. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a cutting tool provided with a diamond film and a process for the production thereof.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Diamond is synthesized under a super-high pressure at a super-high temperature by using an expensive apparatus. Furthermore, the low-pressure gas phase synthetic technique is investigated as means for providing diamond capable of being widely applied to various uses by utilizing excellent characteristics such as high hardness and thermal conductivity and excellent semiconductor characteristics and increasing the synthesis efficiency. For example, the synthesis of diamond by the plasma (Chemical Vapor Deposition) CVD method is proposed.
According to this synthesis of diamond by the plasma CVD method, a mixed gas comprising a hydrocarbon gas and hydrogen gas is introduced into a reaction chamber, a plasma is generated by a high-frequency wave, a microwave or a direct current voltage, and a diamond film is formed on the surface of a substrate (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 58-153774 and 59-3098).
However, if the mixed gas comprising a hydrocarbon gas and hydrogen gas is used as the diamond-forming gas, the diamond-forming speed is low, and 3 to 4 hours are necessary for obtaining a film thickness of about 1 .mu.m.
Moreover, the diamond film obtained according to this plasma CVD method is still insufficient in the diamond characteristics such as high hardness, and further improvement of the diamond characteristics is desired.
A cutting tool prepared by arranging a diamond film obtained by this plasma CVD method on a predetermined substrate is insufficient in the cutting properties, and further improvement of the cutting properties is desired.
Especially, since amorphous carbon is contained in the diamond film formed according to the conventional CVD method, the purity is low, and therefore, the excellent abrasion resistance is not sufficiently exerted. Since the abrasion resistance is very important as a factor deciding the life of a cutting tool for r precision working or finish working, development of a cutting tool having an excellent abrasion resistance is desired.